Until Us

by Cristin Cooper

  He texted her back with a simple thanks and silenced his phone.

  Katie answered the door and covered her mouth in surprise as he handed her a bouquet of daisies, balloons, and a maple bar. “Awww. It’s like you know me.”

  “Happy Birthday.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek.

  She placed the flowers on the table then gave him a one-arm hug. “Thank you.”

  He looked around her living room, taking in all the gift bags and leftover baby shower decorations hanging from the ceiling. “It looks like the baby made out like a bandit.”

  “You would not believe. I still can’t believe everything she got. You have to see the cute T-shirts Alexis bough her. She’s going to be the best dressed geeky baby.” Katie was still laughing when she gripped his arm and squealed. “Your mom and sisters got her a crib. It’s beautiful.” Her smile turned mischievous. “Your sister’s volunteered your crib building skills!”

  “They’re sweet like that,” he said dryly.

  “They are, and it was nice seeing them again. They kept everyone entertained, that’s for sure,” she snickered as if she were remembering something specific.

  He cringed, wondering what they did. Each of his sisters on their own was manageable, but together…watch out. They fed off each other.

  “Your mom invited me for Spring Break. I hope that’s okay. I already accepted.” She gave him a toothy grin and waited expectantly as if he would tell her not to come with him to Bend.

  “I was going to ask you. I swear. I obviously wasn’t fast enough. You should be warned Spring Break means a week of hanging out with my whole family. Everyone takes off work and all the kids are out of school.”

  She clasped her hands together and grinned. “I can’t wait. I love your family.”

  The feeling was mutual. His chest tightened and he wanted nothing more than to pull her into a hug and kiss her for loving them.

  On the way to dinner, she commandeered his iPod and controlled the music. To get them into the mood for the concert, she played an older Brandi Carlile album.

  She kept the volume low enough they could still talk.

  “I’ve been dying to talk to you since my Mom called this morning.” He glanced at her briefly, waiting for her to go on. “I probably told you this since I pretty much tell you everything, but my grandfather, my mother’s father left me an inheritance.”

  “I think you might have mentioned it. He’s the one you never met.”

  “Right. He kicked my mother out of the house at sixteen and never talked to her again. When he died, she found out he left her his house and had started a savings account for me.”

  “Really? Why would he do that if he never had a relationship with either of you?”

  “I don’t know.” She shrugged. “It’s crazy. She didn’t tell me until months after he had died. Anyway, I never knew how much it was and since I couldn’t get it until I was twenty-one I never thought about it. I assumed it was a couple thousand. Well, my mom called me today because Dad managed to use his lawyering skills to work around the age thing.” Her eyes widened. “And...” She took in a deep breath. “It’s not a couple thousand. It’s a lot more. Like…” she opened her arms wide, “a lot more. It’s enough that I’ll only have to work part time until I finish school.”

  “I thought for sure I was going to have to drop out of college to work full-time to support us. It’s a huge burden off my shoulders.”

  Tyler didn’t know what to say. She looked over at him and said as if she had been reading his mind. “I know! I don’t know what to say either. It’s great. I can keep working at The Coffee Pot since Jason lets me set my own schedule. Besides the heartburn I get from the coffee, it’s the perfect job for me.”

  He smirked. “I thought it was the baby who gave you heartburn.”

  She pinched her lips closed to keep from smiling, but her shoulders were shaking from holding in her laugh. “Shut up,” she muttered.

  “I love this place!” Tyler kept his hand on her lower back as they followed the waitress to their seats next to the window. It was her favorite table since it gave her a chance to people watch while eating. It was one of her favorite things to do.

  “You never told me how the support group went,” he said between bites.

  She covered her mouth and quickly chewed before answering. “It went really well. I’m glad I went. I met some great families, and I was able to ask a lot of questions. I spent time talking to another pregnant mom who just found out. When I mentioned I still cry and some days I feel overwhelmed, she said it was totally normal and she felt the same way. All in all, I left feeling optimistic. Plus, now I have a list of people to call if I have questions or need to talk to someone who has already been through this.”

  “It really will be okay, Katie.” He took her hand and held it.

  “I know.” She nodded. “But I’m still going to have bad days and moments when I’m angry at my situation.” She slipped her hand out of his and covered her belly. “Not about the baby, but doing it on my own,” she clarified.

  He watched her stare out the window. When a couple carrying a baby walked past, her eyes followed as her shoulders drooped. She looked lost in thought when he asked her what was wrong.

  “I know this isn’t something I should worry about right now and honestly, I’m not, but one day…” She looked back out the window. “I still want to get married, and I might want to have another child.” She emphasized the word might and looked back at him. “But will someone want to marry me? A single mother with a daughter who will need lifelong care?”

  “I can guarantee someone will want to marry you and want to be a father to your daughter.” If she were taking applications, he would’ve been first in line.

  She pushed the food around on her plate. “I hope so.”

  She shivered next to him as they walked the few blocks to the concert. The days were warming, but the nights were still too cool to be walking around without a coat, and she had refused to wear one, claiming she was always too hot.

  As much as he wanted to say something, he kept his mouth shut and opened his arm so she could snuggle against him. He ran his hand up and down her arm attempting to keep her warm until they got inside.

  While waiting for the concert to start, Katie reached for his hand and placed it on her stomach just in time for him to feel the baby kick. She was grinning ear to ear. “Did you feel that? She’s going crazy. She must be excited too.” It was incredible and feeling the baby never got old for him.

  He leaned into her. “I’m going to get us water before the show starts.” She nodded and mouthed thanks.

  When he managed to get back to her, the band had already begun playing their first song. He stood back and watched as Katie lifted her hands in the air and moved to the beat of the music with her eyes closed. She was so lost in the music she seemed completely unaware of anyone else in the room.

  Even at twenty-nine weeks, she was incredibly sexy. If anything she was sexier. She wore tight fitting jeans a T-shirt that moulded to her body. She left her hair natural, so it was a little wild and a lot sexy. He wished he could stand back and watch her all night.

  He kissed Katie’s forehead and gave her a hug as he said good night.

  “Thanks for my present.” She giggled between yawns.

  “No problem. I kind of like how you give me presents for you,” he teased.

  “I think next year I need to give you an island vacation for your birthday.” She smiled, but her eyes were droopy, and she looked like she was about to fall asleep standing.

  “I think that’s a great idea. Now go to bed.”

  “I am. I am,” she mumbled as she walked down the hall toward her bedroom. He let himself out, and the first thing he did was call Audrey. After tonight, he knew his answer.

  “Hey! How was the concert?”

  “Audrey.” His voice was tight and slightly weary. “I love you.”

  “I love you too.” Her voice broke,
and he was sure she already knew his answer.

  “I can’t do this.”

  “I know,” she whispered.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Me too.” He had heard her sniff before she hung up.

  He hated hurting her, but it was better than trying to force something he didn’t want. He loved her, but when he was with Katie, he was reminded what it felt like being with someone who didn’t play games with him. Who wasn’t afraid to be herself and made him comfortable being himself. If anything, Katie had shown him not to settle for anything less than amazing.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  March 2016

  Katie

  “Katie,” he murmured against her stomach. Leaving wet kisses as he moved up her body taking extra time worshiping each breast until she cried out. His hands left a warm trail down the center of her body until he reached the edge of her panties.

  She begged him to keep going.

  She needed him to keep going.

  Her nails dug into his neck, holding him against her chest.

  He thumbed the edges of her panties and slowly pulled them down until she was bare for him. He kissed her inner thighs before leaving a tender kiss just above where she needed him.

  She reached for him, pulling him up until their bodies were aligned.

  Her breathing became erratic as she wrapped her legs around him bringing him closer. “More,” she whimpered.

  He braced himself over her staring into her eyes. “I love you, Katie. More than you will ever know.” She felt each word wind around her broken heart healing it as he put it back together.

  Tears pooled in her eyes, knowing she felt the same way.

  “I love you, Tyler,” she cried out as he entered her body, making them one. He moved in and out in a slow rhythm, torturing her, making her want more. Making her want him.

  He bent his head, teasing her with his tongue.

  “Yes! Yes!” she cried. She closed her eyes and breathed in his scent, wanting to remember this moment forever.

  * * *

  “Katie?” A voice called from a distance. Afraid he would stop, she ignored it, but the voice called out to her again.

  Her eyes fluttered open just as someone knocked on the door. Her heart felt like it was beating out of her chest. She looked down to see she was still wearing one of Eric’s old t-shirts, and she was alone in Tyler’s old bedroom.

  Katie plucked the sweaty material away from her body, hoping to cool it. “Katie? Are you awake? Breakfast is ready,” Joyce, Tyler’s mother, said from the other side of the door.

  Panic set in. Oh my God, did she hear me?

  Since being pregnant, her sex dreams had become more vivid and so good she had woken up more than once in the middle of an orgasm or about to have one.

  Every single one of those times, she had been with a nameless, faceless person. “Holy shit!” she whispered. She wiped the sweat from her face and went to the door on shaky legs and opened it.

  “Oh honey, are you okay?”

  “Yeah,” she croaked. “Just hot. I’m going to take a quick shower and then I’ll be down.”

  “All right, sweetie. I’ll be sure to save you some pancakes.”

  “Thank you,” Katie mumbled as she closed the door.

  Katie’s whole body shook with an achy need that had nothing to do with sex and more to do with a person. She sat on the edge of the bed, swallowing the growing lump in her throat.

  For weeks, she had felt her feelings change for Tyler in a way she had never expected. It began when she was uncharacteristically jealous of Audrey and began to build from there.

  It wasn’t completely crazy to think she could fall for her best friend. Katie spent more time with him than anyone else and when she wasn’t with him, she wished she were. The change was so subtle, she didn’t even realize it was happening until it was too late.

  Yesterday afternoon she and his whole family toured the Lava Caves. Wearing ridiculous helmets with headlights, he held her hand, making sure she stayed on her feet. By the time they left, she didn’t want to let go of his hand. From that moment on, she was hyper aware of every touch, every word he said, and every smile he gave her.

  And none of it was enough.

  Entering the kitchen after a cold shower, Katie hoped to sneak into the kitchen unnoticed. The room was chaotic. Kids were running in and out of the house while the parents sat at the bar or table, eating and talking as if all the noise was completely normal. She loved it and felt right at home. It made Katie aware how lonely she’d felt at times growing up. She couldn’t imagine Tyler’s family had ever felt that way.

  Her plan to go unnoticed failed. All the adults had turned and said hello the moment she stepped into the room. Her face blushed and she was afraid everyone would somehow figure out what she had dreamt, but within seconds everyone was back to what they were doing.

  Her stomach flipped at the sight of Tyler. Would he be able to see a difference with her?

  Tyler waved her over to the table and slid over making room for her on the bench. “I saved you a plate.” It was piled high with pancakes with hearts made out of chocolate chips in the center of each.

  She got choked up and almost started crying right there. She gave him a smile and took a bite so she wouldn’t have to say anything. The kitchen was noisy and hectic, but she didn’t hear a thing. She was too aware of how close he sat next to her and his warm hand over her belly. It was such a natural thing for them to do and something they had done countless times. So why did it make her whole body tremble this time?

  She closed her eyes to help calm her breathing, but it wasn’t working. It only made it worse since she couldn’t stop thinking about the way he’d hovered over her and kissed her in her dream.

  “Hey, you okay?” he asked as he curiously stared at her, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.

  No. She wasn’t. She had a sex dream about him. She was freaking out. But she said, “I’m good. Just hungry.” She chewed her bite and asked, “So what’s the plan for today?”

  Rebecca and Leah, who were seated across from them, said, “Esther rented a pool for several hours, and then I think Naomi planned for us to go to Abby’s pizza afterwards.” Rebecca looked behind her at Naomi, who had a full mouth but gave them a thumbs up.

  “I’ll need to buy a swimsuit; I didn’t bring one with me.”

  “Don’t worry about it, I have one you can borrow,” Leah offered.

  “Breathe,” she whispered. She wished she had brought a spare T-shirt because leaving the dressing room without some cover was going to take all the courage she had.

  When she agreed to borrow a swimsuit, Katie had assumed it was a maternity suit, but no Leah leant her a bikini, and not just a bikini but a skimpy bikini. It had to be for it to fit around her belly, but then again it didn’t really. Her breasts were larger than Leah’s, and she was positive the strings around her neck weren’t going to hold the two triangles over her breasts.

  She tried to look behind her, but the mirror in the bathroom only showed the waist and above. It was probably a good thing, better not to see how much of her ass was hanging out. She readjusted the bottoms and tried to stretch the material over her butt, hoping to cover as much as possible.

  Her only consolation was it was just Tyler’s family in the pool. She didn’t think they would judge her. That wasn’t what made her stomach knot. It was what Tyler would think of her in the swimsuit.

  Just as she stepped out of the dressing room, one of the parents yelled, “No Running!” She walked along the edge of the pool and got splashed when one of the boys jumped in cannonball style.

  Katie was relieved nobody noticed her, except for Tyler, of course. But she was too busy worrying about what the suit didn’t cover to be fully aware of him. After her dream, seeing his firm muscled chest and arms was a different experience. Feeling more exposed than she had ever felt before, her heart hammered in her chest.

  She wanted to cover all
of her exposed bits as she walked towards the shallow end of the pool, where Naomi played with her thirteen-month-old son. Tyler met her at the end and held out his hand to help her down the steps into the pool.

  Red tinged his cheeks when she caught him glancing at her breasts. She couldn’t blame him; they were hard not to notice. They stuck out as much as her stomach.

  Before she could stop herself, she spit out, “You’re my best friend.”

  It took him a few seconds for him to catch up to what she said, but he cradled her face with his hand and ran a thumb down her cheek. “You’re my best friend.”

  Looking into his eyes, she was tempted to tell him about her dream. She told him everything, but Katie wasn’t quite sure if she were ready to share that. At least not surrounded by his family.

  To break the growing heat between them she joked. “This swimsuit is tiny. I’m counting on you to remember you pinky swore never to mention the size of my butt. You can’t undo pinky swears.”

  “Katie.” His voice was choked, and he had to repeat himself. He cleared his throat. “Katie, you are…”

  “Sexy,” Naomi said from behind him.

  Katie felt the heat of a blush on her face and neck. If she looked down, she would probably see it spreading over all of her exposed skin.

  “You’re a beautiful woman and pregnancy looks good on you.” It had been a long time since Katie felt giddy, but it was the perfect word to describe what she was feeling.

  “Cannonball war!” Rebecca shouted. “Whoever wins gets the first ice cream cone.”

  Tyler’s mouth pulled into a big smile. “I need to defend my title. Are you okay over here?”

  “Of course. I’ll root for you from over there.” She pointed to where Naomi bounced her little boy.”

  He leaned into her and kissed her forehead. “If you need anything, let me know.”